Top 5 Sleeper Closers for 2023 Fantasy Baseball Season

Opening Day is just around the corner, but there's still time to research and prepare for your 2023 fantasy baseball drafts.

Thankfully, The Duel is here to help with our annual fantasy baseball preseason prep. You can check out our top 100 fantasy baseball player rankings here, as well as our top 25 team names.

In addition to our top 10 fantasy baseball closers for the 2023 MLB season, here are our top fantasy baseball sleeper closers as well.

Fantasy Baseball Closer Sleepers 2023

5. Kyle Finnegan, Washington Nationals

Finnegan doesn't get a ton of credit, but he's been incredibly consistent since debuting in 2020. He's kept his ERA between 2.90 and 3.60 all three years while locking down 22 saves for the Nats. He also dramatically improved his walk rate to 3.0 BB/9 in 2022, producing a career-best 1.14 WHIP as a result. That should help him avoid blowups and keep his job security intact going forward.

4. Jorge Lopez, Minnesota Twins

Jhoan Duran is the Twins' fireman, but Lopez is their closer. He secured 23 saves as an All-Star last season, finishing with a 2.54 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP and 72 strikeouts in 71 innings. The former starter has excelled since converting into a relief pitcher and should once again be a trustworthy option for Minnesota in the late innings this year.

3. Dylan Floro, Miami Marlins

Floro's never going to miss a ton of bats (career 8.1 K/9), but that hasn't stopped him from emerging as a solid closer for Miami over the past two seasons. He's racked up 25 saves during that span while compiling a 2.91 ERA, a 2.96 FIP and a 1.20 WHIP. With solid ratios and back-to-back seasons of double-digit saves, Floro is a reliable fantasy option heading into 2023.

2. Jose Leclerc, Texas Rangers

After barely pitching in 2020 and 2021 due to injuries (just two appearances combined), Leclerc re-established himself as a ninth-inning option in the Rangers' bullpen with a brilliant comeback season. His 2.83 ERA was his best since 2018, and he finally got his command issues under control by lowering his walk rate to 4.0 BB/9. He picked up 7 saves as well, boosting his career total to 36. Leclerc has never gotten the chance to run with the role for an entire season, but the 29-year-old deserves that opportunity in 2023.

1. Alexis Diaz, Cincinnati Reds

Diaz came into the Reds' bullpen guns blazing as a rookie last year, going 7-3 with 10 saves, a 1.84 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP and 83 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings. The hard-throwing righty was practically unhittable, too, giving up just 4.0 H/9. That's a great profile for a closer to have, especially if he can trim his 4.7 BB/9 a bit in Year 2. Cincinnati may not win a lot of games, but Diaz will be there to close the door on most of them.